Trent Brown sighed as the school bus pulled to a halt. He was in highschool and would be graduating after the next school year. He was too old to be herded around on childish field trips, but apparently Apogee Western Highschool missed that fact. The teachers certainly enjoyed dragging the students around like they were a bunch of elementary schoolers. He hoped that the Supernatural History Museum would be somewhat entertaining than that cheery Prima Vida clinic his history class visited last month. At least they might have stuff on a violent war or some gruesome deaths.
Trent waited for the mass of chattering students to leave, before unfolding and getting to his feet. He trudged through the bus and down the stairs, ignoring the teacher’s requests to hurry up. The chaperones did a quick head count of the students before going through the automatic glass doors into the bleached, brightly lit interior of the museum. The security guards had the students dump their bags in a cramped coat area. One or two vain girls complained about leaving their overly expensive De Luca brand handbags in the room and until the security guards reassured them that their possessions would be well protected.
The class then filtered into the museum proper and went through an arduous three hour tour of the buildings brightly light exhibits. Other than a small exhibit on spirit summoning in World War I and II, most of the displays were dull.Trent drifted to the back of the group and hid behind his black bangs, filtering out the teacher’s monotonous ramblings. He knew everything from the textbook anyways, and he could care less about grades.
After lunch, the teacher told them a special guest would be speaking with them, Trent figured it would probably be some stuffy intellectual who worked here. A younger Asian woman with short, dark hair and an innocent smile walked to the front of the glaze-eyed crowd. She wore a black tank top and white skirt. She had a bracelet on her right wrist, probably one of the ones Ryder Jewelry made that included protective charms.
She introduced herself as Jen Sho, a professional summoner, provoking Trent’s curiosity. Jen started a talk on summoning traditions practiced in Apogee, and the standard summoning methods prescribed by the Apogee Police Department. Trent slouched in the chair and looked down at the floor, although he paid attention to everything the summoner was saying. Unfortunately, she only covered the basic principles of summoning including the basic form of a standardized summon, how talismans were used in the summoning process, the spirit contract and the respective bond formed, and how most summoning techniques attracted spirits that had a compatible personality with the aspiring contractor. None of it was new information for Trent, and offered no clues as to why all the spirits he tried to summon were boundedly joyful and obnoxiously optimistic. He hoped to get at least one that shared his miserable and tortured lifestyle. He decided to ditch the class later, so he could talk to Jen alone.
The teacher and chaperones gathered up everyone for a quick head count, and another boring excursion on the second floor. Once the group, headed to the stairs, Trent peeled away from his customary position in the back of the group. The teacher didn’t notice, and none of the students were paying much attention to him, so he made a clean getaway. Thankfully,Cynthia and Daniel were in other classes, as they would have noticed his departure.
Trent moved quickly through the lower floor, moving faster than his classmates and instructor would have ever expected from him. He found Jen in front of a display on some Sumerian texts that are believed to tell of some of the first summoning rituals. The summoner turned around and spotted Trent approach.
“Hello. Did you get separated from the rest of your class?”, she asked.
“No. I snuck away.”, Trent responded.
“Why? You should go back to your class.”, the woman questioned, her eyebrows creasing.
“No one really cares. Besides, I needed to ask you about my summoning troubles.”, the boy murmured.
Jen’s expression lightened, “Ah, summoning troubles. Thankfully, it seems like it is nothing bad enough to prevent you from standing here and talking with me. What issues are you having?”
“The spirits I summon are too cheerful. Nothing that I summon can truly understand me!” Trent responded.
“Hmm… I’ve heard many cases of failed and ruined summons, but seldom has someone come to me and complained of getting a spirit that is ‘too cheerful’.”, Jen commented before pulling out a chalkboard and a few pieces of white chalk, “Can you show me what circle you use, if you don’t have a DiSC you can draw it out on this board. Do you use any talismans? Any incantations?”
“I draw a circle such as this.” Trent says, sketching a basic set of nested circles. “I use basic spirit charms from a summoning shop downtown, and use the standard invocations taught in class.”
Jen has him repeat the invocations a few times, before shaking her head.
“I don’t know what to tell you. The procedures, circle, and invocations are all correct for a basic summoning. Everything is in order, you should have seen the results you were expecting.”, Jen said, “It may just be a compatibility issue, and something about your personality attracts these ‘too cheerful’ spirits. Although, you may be better off having a professional perform a summon for you. Basic summons are subsidized by the Apogee police. The process is cheap, safe, and present you with a selection of spirits to choose from.”
Trent snorts, “I would just get a starile, police-vetted spirit that way.” “Well it is up to you. Though, I can promise that we can get you a spirit that fits your personality.”, Jen responds, “ Here you can have my card in case you change your mind. You should get back to your class, your friends may be worried.”
“Thanks. I guess.” Trent responds grabbing the card and starting to slink away.
“Oh, and be careful. I have experience with many amateur summoners, especially those your age, who contracted with a spirit they shouldn’t have. I would hate it if you ended up as one of those individuals with a rogue spirit that the national guard have to execute.”
Trent waited for the mass of chattering students to leave, before unfolding and getting to his feet. He trudged through the bus and down the stairs, ignoring the teacher’s requests to hurry up. The chaperones did a quick head count of the students before going through the automatic glass doors into the bleached, brightly lit interior of the museum. The security guards had the students dump their bags in a cramped coat area. One or two vain girls complained about leaving their overly expensive De Luca brand handbags in the room and until the security guards reassured them that their possessions would be well protected.
The class then filtered into the museum proper and went through an arduous three hour tour of the buildings brightly light exhibits. Other than a small exhibit on spirit summoning in World War I and II, most of the displays were dull.Trent drifted to the back of the group and hid behind his black bangs, filtering out the teacher’s monotonous ramblings. He knew everything from the textbook anyways, and he could care less about grades.
After lunch, the teacher told them a special guest would be speaking with them, Trent figured it would probably be some stuffy intellectual who worked here. A younger Asian woman with short, dark hair and an innocent smile walked to the front of the glaze-eyed crowd. She wore a black tank top and white skirt. She had a bracelet on her right wrist, probably one of the ones Ryder Jewelry made that included protective charms.
She introduced herself as Jen Sho, a professional summoner, provoking Trent’s curiosity. Jen started a talk on summoning traditions practiced in Apogee, and the standard summoning methods prescribed by the Apogee Police Department. Trent slouched in the chair and looked down at the floor, although he paid attention to everything the summoner was saying. Unfortunately, she only covered the basic principles of summoning including the basic form of a standardized summon, how talismans were used in the summoning process, the spirit contract and the respective bond formed, and how most summoning techniques attracted spirits that had a compatible personality with the aspiring contractor. None of it was new information for Trent, and offered no clues as to why all the spirits he tried to summon were boundedly joyful and obnoxiously optimistic. He hoped to get at least one that shared his miserable and tortured lifestyle. He decided to ditch the class later, so he could talk to Jen alone.
The teacher and chaperones gathered up everyone for a quick head count, and another boring excursion on the second floor. Once the group, headed to the stairs, Trent peeled away from his customary position in the back of the group. The teacher didn’t notice, and none of the students were paying much attention to him, so he made a clean getaway. Thankfully,Cynthia and Daniel were in other classes, as they would have noticed his departure.
Trent moved quickly through the lower floor, moving faster than his classmates and instructor would have ever expected from him. He found Jen in front of a display on some Sumerian texts that are believed to tell of some of the first summoning rituals. The summoner turned around and spotted Trent approach.
“Hello. Did you get separated from the rest of your class?”, she asked.
“No. I snuck away.”, Trent responded.
“Why? You should go back to your class.”, the woman questioned, her eyebrows creasing.
“No one really cares. Besides, I needed to ask you about my summoning troubles.”, the boy murmured.
Jen’s expression lightened, “Ah, summoning troubles. Thankfully, it seems like it is nothing bad enough to prevent you from standing here and talking with me. What issues are you having?”
“The spirits I summon are too cheerful. Nothing that I summon can truly understand me!” Trent responded.
“Hmm… I’ve heard many cases of failed and ruined summons, but seldom has someone come to me and complained of getting a spirit that is ‘too cheerful’.”, Jen commented before pulling out a chalkboard and a few pieces of white chalk, “Can you show me what circle you use, if you don’t have a DiSC you can draw it out on this board. Do you use any talismans? Any incantations?”
“I draw a circle such as this.” Trent says, sketching a basic set of nested circles. “I use basic spirit charms from a summoning shop downtown, and use the standard invocations taught in class.”
Jen has him repeat the invocations a few times, before shaking her head.
“I don’t know what to tell you. The procedures, circle, and invocations are all correct for a basic summoning. Everything is in order, you should have seen the results you were expecting.”, Jen said, “It may just be a compatibility issue, and something about your personality attracts these ‘too cheerful’ spirits. Although, you may be better off having a professional perform a summon for you. Basic summons are subsidized by the Apogee police. The process is cheap, safe, and present you with a selection of spirits to choose from.”
Trent snorts, “I would just get a starile, police-vetted spirit that way.”
“Well it is up to you. Though, I can promise that we can get you a spirit that fits your personality.”, Jen responds, “ Here you can have my card in case you change your mind. You should get back to your class, your friends may be worried.”
“Thanks. I guess.” Trent responds grabbing the card and starting to slink away.
“Oh, and be careful. I have experience with many amateur summoners, especially those your age, who contracted with a spirit they shouldn’t have. I would hate it if you ended up as one of those individuals with a rogue spirit that the national guard have to execute.”